~ BY KATHLEEN LOUIS ~
M
OST PEOPLE KNOW ALEXANDER THE GREAT as one of history’s greatest military figures. Fewer know the deep respect he had for his teachers. Reflecting on all that he had learned from Aristotle, Alexander once said “I am indebted to my father for my living, but to my teacher for my living well.” The following Ravenscroft graduates have all achieved remarkably successful military careers. And they all credit much of their progress in the military to their experience at Ravenscroft. Each graduate was impacted by the opportunity, the rigor and the self-discovery that are the hallmarks of the Ravenscroft experience. Their teachers’ support and encouragement laid the groundwork for their exploration of, and ultimate success in, a military career.
DR. MICHAEL LAIDLAW
’97
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY
Driven by a strong history of family military service, Michael Laidlaw ’97 had dreams as a high schooler to attend either flight school or medical school — he realized he could have the opportunity to achieve both. At Ravenscroft, Laidlaw not only built his confidence and leadership skills, but realized that he could make a difference in the world. “Whether in the classroom or on the athletic fields, the opportunities to voice your opinion as a leader and make a difference were too numerous to count,” reflected Laidlaw. “The exceptional teachers at Ravenscroft advocated for individual thought and encouraged students to take on leadership opportunities.” After his love of science was “solidified with Mrs. Pressel in AP biology,” Laidlaw studied science at the United States Air Force Academy and graduated with a degree in biochemistry and with distinguished graduate honors. After applying for and receiving a health professions scholarship, Laidlaw decided to attend Georgetown University
LAIDLAW with wife Kristen and son Reid
School of Medicine, graduating in 2005 with magna cum laude honors. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of California San Francisco, further developing his skills alongside national leaders in the field of orthopaedics. In 2010, Laidlaw rejoined the United States Air Force where he MICHAEL LAIDLAW ‘97 and son Reid at an airshow at served as staff orLangley Air Force Base thopedic surgeon at joint base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, followed by a tour of duty deployed overseas in the Middle East. While serving as the Chief of the Orthopedic Surgery Department from 2012 to 2016, Laidlaw developed a strong interest in sports medicine and decided to sub-specialize further. Laidlaw is currently attending a year-long orthopaedic surgery sports medicine surgical subspecialty fellowship at the University of Virginia. Once completed, Laidlaw plans to return to the U.S. Air Force to “continue to care for our service members, dependents and retirees/veterans.” Laidlaw, his wife Kristen and their eight year-old son are excited to see where their next duty assignment with the U.S. Air Force takes them!
Spring 2017
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